Go You Saints (FM 15)

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Hi, everyone.

Seeing some Football Manager threads returning to the top of the page has inspired me to return to the forum myself. I can never stay away from FM for long; even when real life gets busy--and it has been lately, for all good reasons--I find myself thinking about ideas for my next FM career.

I'm going back to my FM roots, so to speak. I first became intrigued by Football Manager when I read several stories about very small English clubs on the FOFC forum several years ago. So I think it's fitting that I'm embarking on a journey with a similar club.

Once again, I'll be playing Football Manager 15. All my players are fictional. When you see how far down the English league structure I'm starting, you'll realize you wouldn't have heard of anyone in my team anyway.

St. Andrews FC are located in Aylestone, a suburb of Leicester. As the 2014/15 season begin, the Saints are playing in the East Midlands Counties League Premier Division (level 10 in the English pyramid). They play at the Canal Street grounds. I can't find a picture of this facility, so picture a football pitch with a few stands, like you might find in a park. That's what I'm envisioning.

The Saints are an amateur club, and as the season begins, I don't have a single player on the squad list. Obviously, putting together a team will be my first priority.

We're predicted to finish 19th in the 20-team Premier Division, so my expectations couldn't be much lower. It will be fun to see what kind of team I can assemble. Will we be able to beat the odds and survive relegation? Will we shock the East Midlands and do better than that?

We'll see, and I hope you'll follow along for the ride.

Merry Christmas from St. Andrews FC.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

9 August 2014

The preseason is over, and I've managed to find 19 lads who are willing to pull on St Andrews' sky blue kit to open the 2014/15 season. Let's meet them now.

At this level, it's impossible to find truly skilled players, but I tried to put together a team that plays fairly attractive football. I'm going to send them out to play a simple 4-4-2, but I'm looking for players with the ability to see options other than "hit it up the pitch to the big lads" and the technical skill to execute them. And I want them to work hard for the shirt.

The players' star ratings come to you from my assistant manager, Elliot Beech. His ratings for Judging Player Ability and Judging Player Potential are 4 apiece, so you might want to take what Elliot thinks with several grains of salt.


Goalkeepers


In Ward and Watkins, I really have a number 1 and a number 1A. Ward is better at organizing his defense and, surprisingly, he's better in the air. Watkins is quicker and a bit more athletic. Both keepers are fairly comfortable on the ball.

I'll probably let Ward start the season opener, since he outplayed Watkins by a narrow margin during preseason. However, I wouldn't hesitate to give the shirt to Watkins for a must-win match.


Defenders


I ask quite a bit of my fullbacks, whom I expect to push up and join in the attack from time to time, overlapping with the midfielder on their side. Ricketts will be the left back, with Foley opposite him on the right. I wish they had more pace, but they both have the requisite work rare for the position, and Foley has an especially strong mental makeup.

Calvert will be a fixture at center back. His positioning and decision making are excellent for a player so young, and he's tough and brave. My staff prefer Blackburn as Calvert's partner, but I like the combination of skills Pearson brings. Stuart is a little faster than Roger is, and I like having a player like Roger, who can cover anywhere on the back line, on the bench. Roger also has a good long throw, which can be a potent weapon. Suffice it to say both men will play a lot.

Cross, who is a more natural midfielder, can fill in at left back. Taylor and West are extremely versatile players who might also see some duty in our back four.


Midfielders


I always look to build a team around an assertive presence in the middle of the park. Collis looks like he'll be that kind of player. Athletic and industrious, he'll be the more defensively-oriented player in our CM pairing, but he's far from a one-dimensional destroyer.

I have two good options for the more creative central midfielder. I like Huckerby more than my staff do. He is an especially smooth passer. Cumming is a well-rounded footballer who does a little of everything. Both of them played well in the preseason, and I'm going to give both of them a chance to secure a spot in the first XI.

Blankley and Smith, the wide midfielders, are very similar players. Both have bags of pace and will work hard, and I wish both would track back a bit more reliably. If I want more defensive contribution from the wide men, I can call on Cross or West; both of them are also available for duty as holding midfielders when I have a lead to protect.

All the midfielders are capable of playing more than one position, which is an indispensable quality in a smaller squad.


Forwards


I'm going with a traditional creator/scorer pairing up front. The first role will probably be played by Hackett, who has the size and strength to hold up the ball and the awareness to play in his partner. He's not fast, and Elliot Beech comments on his "fairly volatile temperament."

The scorer's part will go to Thompson. He'll beat all but the quickest center halves for pace, and if he can improve his composure, he'll be a deadly finisher.

Westlake looks like a slightly less-talented version of Thompson. He demonstrated an eye for goal during the preseason. Walker, the fourth striker, can fill either role, but his lazy streak concerns me. And then there's Taylor, who can--and will--play anywhere but in goal. I sense he's a player whose intangibles make him better than he should be, and I've named him our captain.


Right now, I have no idea how we'll do. The season preview gives all but one of the teams 500-1 odds against winning the league, and we're not that one team. Arnold Town are tipped as 1-3 favorites to lift the trophy.

Ray Collis is, however, the media's pick for the player to watch this season.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

30 October 2014

The programme for the East Midlands Counties League Premier Division is 38 games long; we play each of the other 19 teams home and away. I'm planning to post regular updates at the quarter, half, and three-quarter marks of the schedule. I'll also write special updates for our youth intake, and any other big moments that occur along the way.


Cast of Characters
Every time I manage an amateur side, I'm tempted to hoard players. They cost me nothing to sign, and I don't have to worry about a wage bill. Since St Andrews have U21 and U18 teams I could fill with players, I could easily bring in 75 players without batting an eye.

I'm trying to manage more realistically this time, avoiding constant trips to the "free to a good home" bin.

We lost James West, one of our Swiss army knives who could play anywhere, because he wanted a shot at first team football. He asked to leave, so I released him. James is still a free agent. How'd that turn out for you, mate?

West had been penciled in as a defensive midfield option, so to fill that role, I signed veteran David Coates. He's just turned 35, and if he ever had pace, it's gone. He more than compensates for that deficiency with his positional savvy, his toughness, and his professionalism. David appeared in four matches, two as a starter, and he's contributed two assists and a goal, from the penalty spot.

The other week, I realized my scout, Matthew Diskin, had discovered a 45-year-old right back and gave him a four-star recommendation. Intrigued by this, wondering whether this was a case of Matthew's inability to recognize football talent (his ratings are quite low), or rather his ability to uncover hidden gems, I checked the player out.

Jack Oakley was, indeed, born in the 1960s. He had been with Milwall, in the Championship, but hadn't gotten a game and was released. Jack appears to have located the Fountain of Youth. His Pace (10) and Natural Fitness (11) are comparable to most of his teammates who are half his age. Not surprisingly, his knowledge of the game is exceptional for our league.

I couldn't resist bringing Jack in, and not simply for novelty value. He'll get some playing time at right back. That will allow me to play Ashley Foley at center back, either as an alternative to one of our regular center halves or as part of a back five.


Competitions

The League




I'm not reading too much into our success in the league so far. The other teams have rosters full of Grey Guys. If I had this to do over again, I'd check the "add players to playable teams" option. The other clubs simply aren't signing players, which surprises me.

Tony Thompson (9 goals) and Alfie Hackett (8 goals) are banging them in on a very regular basis. Ray Collis has been a Colossus in midfield, pursuing anything that dares to move close to him and successfully executing a tackle every six minutes or so. Both Sam Ward and Richard Watkins have played well in goal.

The Cups


We're still in both our knockout competitions, the Combined Senior Cup and the FA Vase. In neither case has our road been a smooth one; we needed extra time to dispatch Spelthorne Sports in the Senior Cup, and it took a replay and MORE extra time to finish off Yaxley Town in the FA Vase.

After I saw how tired my players were getting, I signed three young lads for the U21 team to keep me from having to play guys who were absolutely knackered. You'll meet them when/if they make an impact at the senior level.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

8 November 2014

So much for quarterly updates. I think it will be more fun to write up each match (or two), so I don't forget things.

Saturday, 1 November
AFC Wulfrunians v. St Andrews
FA Vase, 1st Round Proper
4-4-2: Watkins; Oakley, Pearson, Calvert, Ricketts; Smith, Collis, Cross, Blankley; Hackett, Thompson.

Wulfrunians are a mid-table club in the Midland Football League, a level above us. That means their Greys--and they fielded a side with seven of them--are a bit better than the ones we encounter on a regular basis.

Counting the match officials, there were more people on the pitch than in the stand for this one. They watched Alfie Hackett and Tony Thompson score in the first half hour, and that was enough to see us through.

Callum Smith set up both goals and was named Man of the Match. Steve Calvert, with nine tackles and 21 interceptions, led our defensive efforts.


Saturday, 8 November
Anstey Nomads v. St Andrews
Premier Division
4-4-2: Ward; Foley, Pearson, Blackburn, Ricketts; Smith, Collis, Cumming, Blankley; Thompson, Hackett.

Nomads are a local rival; their Cropston Road grounds, on the north side of Leicester, are only about seven miles from Canal Street. It took 24 seconds for Tony Thompson to put the ball in the back of the net, quieting the crowd, who were still finding their places.

Thompson scored twice more, giving him 12 in league play, best in the division. All four defenders acquitted themselves well in front of Sam Ward, especially Ashley Foley (13 tackles) and Roger Blackburn (11 aerial duels won, 18 interceptions).

Another player came to me with concerns about playing time, and I couldn't persuade him to stop pouting. So, Raiff Westlake is no longer with the club. He leaves after making four appearances, scoring one goal.

I brought three young strikers in for trials, and if one of them impresses me, I'll sign him up.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Wednesday, 12 November 2014

St Andrews v. Ashby Ivanhoe
Premier Division

If you read my Galway United story, you might remember my daughter Claire is an avid supporter of Dad's FM dynasties. She's taken an interest in St Andrews, too. Her first contribution to my new club was a piece of fashion advice. Claire didn't care for the team's kit, with shirt, shorts, and socks in the same light blue shade. She suggested I fit the lads out in white shorts instead, giving them a Manchester City vibe.

Claire also designed a new away kit, featuring a navy shirt outlined in purple.

4-4-2: Watkins; Foley, Calvert, Blackburn, Ricketts; Smith, Collis, Huckerby, Blankley; Thompson, Hackett.

The team took the Canal Street pitch in their new home strip. Ashby Ivanhoe came into the match in fourth place, riding a streak of three straight victories in which they'd scored eight goals and conceded only one. Playing through a steady downpour, we buzzed around their goal for most of the first half before their goalkeeper mishandled a shot by center back Steve Calvert for an own goal.

After the interval, Tony Thompson headed in Darren Blankley's cross, and Alfie Hackett scored in stoppage time to complete the 3-0 result.

Hackett played an especially good match, providing an outlet for passes and laying them off to runners entering the box. And, Richard Watkins and the defenders kept another clean sheet.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Saturday, 15 November 2014

St Andrews v. Bedfont Town
Combined Senior Cup, Third Round

The Peacocks are a good side, third in the Combined Counties League First Division. Before the match, I had to decide how much to rotate my squad. I'd like us to win a cup or two, but we're also top of the league.

I decided to run out a strong side today and see how much we have left for Kimberley Miners Welfare on Wednesday.

4-4-2: Ward; Foley, Calvert, Blackburn, Ricketts; Smith, Collis, Coates, Cumming; Thompson, Hackett.

The outcome was never in doubt tonight. Bedfont Town didn't manage a shot on target. Roger Blackburn opened the scoring for us with a nifty left-footed volley from a Callum Smith corner. Two minutes later, we broke on a counter, and Smith pulled it back from the byline for Tony Thompson to smash in. Alfie Hackett gave us a 3-0 lead at halftime, and we prepared to see out the game.

Peacocks captain Peter Jones drew a second yellow card on 62', and three minutes later, Hackett got his brace. The 4-0 scoreline was, honestly, a fair representation of the match.

And, we got good news after the match, too. Ian Cumming had to come off with an injury in the first minutes of the match, but he won't miss any more time.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Wednesday, 19 November 2014

Kimberley Miners Welfare v. St Andrews
Premier Division

Every once in a while, I make a managerial decision that I look back upon and think, "Why did I think this was a good idea?"

This match is a perfect example of this sort of decision.

We'd just played a Senior Cup tie on Saturday, and we have a FA Vase tie this coming Saturday. So I decided to rotate my squad as completely as I could...

4-4-2: Watkins; Oakley, Kenworthy, Pearson, Cross; McGlinchey, Coates, Huckerby, Cumming; Farrell, Walker.

The three names you don't recognize are a new addition and two U21 players I called up for the match.

Alex Kenworthy joined the club this week. Alex is an old-school English center half, tall and powerful, good in the air. He's quick enough, but his idea of "distribution from the back" is kicking the ball as far up the pitch as possible. He'll be a decent squad player, and at 26, he won't get much better.

Ashley McGlinchey is another story. He's 19 and, while his primary position is center forward, he's comfortable playing all along the right. That's primarily why I signed him. Ashley's not exceptional in any other way, but he's a solid footballer who might improve into a key player.

I brought striker Mike Farrell into the team to replace Raiff Westlake. He's more of a scorer than a creator, and he has lots of pace. What really caught my eye was the fact that, at 17, he's already a Model Professional.

It's hard to blame those three lads for what happened at The Stag Ground. The Welfare hit us for three goals in the first 25 minutes. I changed my formation to a 4-3-3, moving the versatile McGlinchey up to play forward. It got our offense going a bit, but not enough.

Six minutes from full time, Ian Ricketts aimed a cross at McGlinchey, whose 6'3" form was lurking at the far post. Welfare center back Ian Dennis got to it first, but he headed it into his own goal.

After the match, I noticed that Welfare are a semi-professional club. Had I known that sooner, I wouldn't have fed my second team to them.

We end the day on top of the table, but Graham St. Prims have a game in hand, and can move ahead of us on goal difference with a win in their next match.

Lessons learned. Onward, and upward.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Saturday, 22 November 2014

St Andrews v. Holmesdale
FA Vase, Second Round

We welcomed Holmesdale, a good Level 9 side, to Canal Street for a FA Vase tie. We're catching them in a poor run of form, so I liked our chances today.

4-4-2: Ward; Foley, Calvert, Blackburn, Ricketts; Smith, Collis, Huckerby, Blankley; Thompson, Hackett.

This time we pounced as soon as the opening whistle sounded, hitting Holmesdale with a barrage much like the one we got from Kimberley MW. Alfie Hackett struck first, barely a minute into the game. Alfie then turned provider, teeing up Tony Thompson.

I then decided to change our style of play a bit. I instructed them to play out of defense, and had the goalkeeper distribute it with short kicks to the center backs. Would we do a good job of keeping the ball, or would we simply lack the technique to play this way?

The results were very, very satisfying. Hackett played in Thompson for a second time. A Holmesdale defender fluffed a clearance and headed it into his own goal. We won a corner, the ball bobbled around for a bit, and then Steve Calvert beat the 'keeper with a powerful drive.

We cruised through the second half for a 5-0 victory that puts us through to the Third Round. Even better, our victory put another £1200 in our bank account. For an amateur team, paydays like these make a long run in the FA Vase well worthwhile.

We played a passable imitation of possession football, too, completing 77 percent of our passes.

And, while we were taking care of business, Radcliffe Olympic were beating Graham Street Prims, allowing us to stay three points clear at the top of the table after 12 games.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Saturday, 29 November

St Andrews v. Greenwood Meadows
Premier Division

The Meadows came to town from Nottingham standing third in the table. They score quite a few goals, but they allow a few, too. We had a week to rest before we faced them, so our first eleven were all ready to go.

4-4-2: Ward; Foley, Calvert, Blackburn, Ricketts; Smith, Collis, Huckerby, Blankley; Thompson, Hackett.

The 268 supporters who turned out to Canal Street today saw Tony Thompson claim the match ball after scoring a nifty hat trick. Tony provided both productivity and variety: a tidy finish from just outside the six-yard box, a well-placed header, and a howitzer from 20 yards away.

By the middle of the second half, the fans were singing at the tops of their lungs:

Tony Thompson, he scores when he wants!

The triple salvo gives Tony 21 goals on the season in all competitions, and a remarkable 16 in 12 league games.

Our defense was very solid in front of Sam West, who had only two easy saves to make.

Graham Street Prims lost again, falling 0-2 to Anstey Nomads at home, so now we're six points clear, with 26 points from 13 matches.

[NoSkillz]

One of these years, I have to try to start a career at one of these super low levels...seems like it would be a lot of fun and a heck of a challenge.

Keep it up!

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by NoSkillz

One of these years, I have to try to start a career at one of these super low levels...seems like it would be a lot of fun and a heck of a challenge.

Keep it up!

You're right on both counts--it's a lot of fun, and it can be very challenging. There's something going on in this game that's a bit surprising, though. Many of the other teams in our league have a number of "grey players" in their squads, and they don't appear to be in much of a hurry to fix the problem.

Our players aren't being pursued by other teams, either. Usually when I try to manage an amateur team, I'm continually watching players sign with clubs where they can pick up a pay envelope. That's not happening this time. Nobody's put in an offer for any of our players, which surprises me, given our success so far. Tony Thompson is 19 years old, and he's scored 21 goals by the end of November. Wouldn't you think there would be a semipro club around Leicester who would know about Tony and take a chance on him?

Contrast that with what happened when you were managing Queen's Park. Your better players were courted by semiprofessional teams fairly regularly. I'd like to see more of that in my career; even if it's frustrating, it seems more realistic.

I wonder if my save game has too many free agents available, so the AI teams don't feel the need to try to poach players who are already with a club. But that ought to make it easy for these teams to move past the point where they're putting five or six "greys" in their starting elevens.

I've been tinkering with different setups, using different database sizes, to see if I can find a balance that I like better. If I do, I'll press "rewind" and begin a new St Andrews career.

Thanks for stopping by, NoSkillz.